SA marathon course offers sneaky challenges

Updated 9:23 am, Sunday, November 4, 2012

For the more than 20,000 runners expected to take on the challenge of the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon and 1/2 Marathon a week from today, there will be obstacles to overcome.

There are undulations on the course, including hills. There are long stretches of lonely pavement. There is San Antonio's mercurial weather.

And, year after year, there are those darn cheering crowds.

“When you hit downtown, there's that big burst of applause,” Paul Baltutis, director of training programs for Fleet Feet Sports, said this week. “That can do as much harm as the hills. Adrenaline takes over with those spectators there, and you have to regulate yourself.

Most Popular

“You show off, flex your muscles a little and speed up. Then you make a few turns, there's no one around and you say, ‘Why did I do that?'”

It's a consideration that doesn't show up on the map for runners studying the 13.1- and 26.2-mile courses that wind past some of San Antonio's notable historic areas and parks.

Veteran long-distance competitors, however, add those mental considerations into game plans that also must allow for the physical tests of the event's serpentine layout.

As opposed to famously grueling stretches such as Heartbreak Hill at the Boston Marathon or the 7,700-foot climb of the Pikes Peak Marathon, San Antonio's route offers almost sneaky obstacles.

Paul Frost, cross country coach at East Central High School, has run marathons either against time or as a “pacer” to help other runners hit their marks. A veteran of more than 25 of the distance races, he admits San Antonio's event requires some study.

For instance, from the bottom of the full marathon route at roughly mile 17, and heading back north up South Presa Street to begin the closing stretch toward the Alamodome, the course begins a subtle ascent.

“It's a long graded hill,” Frost said. “You don't even notice it at first, but after about a half-mile you're like, ‘Wow, that's taking a lot out of me.'”

Baltutis and Frost, among other runners, scrutinize the roadmap, including the available elevation charts, weather forecasts and other resources to run the race in the most effective way possible.

One difficulty in planning for San Antonio is the fact the majority of the route is on streets that can't be run in advance.

Baltutis, for instance, in mentoring groups preparing for the distance races, tries to approximate conditions on similar available roads around the city.

More Information

Rock 'n' Roll S.A. marathon glance

What: Marathon, half-marathon, half-marathon relay, bike tour

When: Nov. 11; starts with bike tour at 6:45 a.m. and run events at 7:30 a.m.

Registration: Online closes tonight, but registration can be done at the Expo at the Convention Center on Friday and Saturday.

Where: Starts at South Alamo and East Market, runs north through downtown and around San Pedro Park, south to Espada Park and back north to the Alamodome.

Road closures: Most closures, detours will be from 3:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Online: runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-antonio

“As far as studying the course, you look at the map and try telling yourself, ‘That doesn't look that far,'” said Judson tennis coach Jason Schraub, who will be running the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll for the fifth time. “But you want to keep an eye on what to watch out for, certain sections of the course.”

That includes the end, where the steepest climb of the course comes as runners slog up toward Cherry Street adjacent to the Alamodome. There, after taking a right turn, are large crowds — and the finish line.

“I always save for that very last hill,” said Lisa Short, a Valero Energy Corp. official who has run 31 marathons, including five in San Antonio. “You know you can't tax yourself before you hit that.”

FORMULATING A GAME PLAN

Several veteran runners who will be competing in the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Marathon offer a peek at their game plans for attacking the 26.2-mile road course through the city:

- Try to establish an early rhythm despite the crowd. When the race begins, with roughly 1,000 runners in each staggered start, sometimes it's tough to find elbow room. The key is to find your stride.

Judson tennis coach Jason Schraub (Three Ironman competitions, four San Antonio marathons): "The goal is to get out there a little. You'll do some weaving around the first two miles."

- Keep yourself under control when you make the turn around Alamo Plaza (mile 3), which has the biggest crowd of spectators. With supporters festive and loud, some runners find adrenaline taking over. Instead, maintain your preferred pace.

Fleet Feet Sports director of training programs Paul Baltutis (31 marathons, including four in San Antonio): "You cannot help but to speed up some when you hear cheering. It's natural. But you're going to pay for it if you do."

- Be ready for hilly terrain between miles 4 and 8. While the undulations are not dreadful, San Antonio can have some sneaky, gradual elevation changes.

Baltutis: "There is no lack of hills here. And wherever you race, a hill's a hill's a hill."

- Be ready to make a choice at about the 11th mile at Lotus Avenue when the half-marathon runners peel off to head back toward the Alamodome. Most veterans know whether their bodies are ready for the full distance. If the answer is no, the lure to cut short can be strong.

Valero Energy Corp. official Lisa Short (31 marathons, including five in San Antonio): "That's a good point of assessment. There, you'll know if you're going to have a good day or not. It can be very tempting."

- Train your mind and your body for the long stretch south of downtown. There, on a 13-mile stretch down Mission Road and back, the crowds thin out and runners begin hearing little more than their footsteps and breathing.

- Prepare for the final big hill. Every runner who takes on the San Antonio course readies for the slow uphill climb over the final few miles, including the closing steep grade up to Cherry Street before the turn to the finish line.

Short: "It's awful when you hit a bunch of walkers (at the end). It's a mental battle, 'They can walk; I can walk too, right?' You compare yourself to the others around you."